Jerome Gambit: King Safety for White?

King safety is a central issue in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). In fact, White sacrifices two pieces in order to render his opponent's King as unsafe as possible.

What about White's King?

It is clear that certain variations are focused upon a counter-attack by Black on White's King, for example 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4!?

But, in general?

I recently had a short discussion about the Jerome Gambit with Stockfish 15 (a skeptic) and The Database (a supporter). 

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Stockfish rated Black as about 2 3/4 pawns better. On the other hand, The Database, with 31,564 games with that position, showed that White scored 52%.

What happens, though, if White first gives some thought to his own King's safety before sacrificing, say by castling or developing another piece?

It turns out that after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Stockfish 15 (35 ply) rates Black as a little bit more than 3 pawns better after either 4...Nf6 5.Bxf7+ (1,749 games, White scores 42%) or 4...d6 5.Bxf7+ (39 games, White scores 33%).

In other words, if White castles before going "all in" on his Jerome attack, he reduces his position's evaluation and decreases his practical chances.

Likewise, if after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 he first plays 4.Nc3,then against 4...Nf6 (3,231 games, White scores 39%) and 4...d6 (0 games) he still does worse than going directly for the sacrifices. Stockfish rates 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ as a bit less than 3 pawns better for Black, and 4.Nc3 d6 5.Bxf7+ as more than 3 1/2 pawns better for Black.

All of this is actually a bit of slight-of-hand. The focus should not be on White. What actually is happening is that, given an extra move himself, Black strengthens his position before the Jerome sacrifices.

It is therefore no wonder that White, in delaying his attack (i.e. for his own King's safety), gives Black a chance to shore up his defenses.

The moral for White: Sacrifice away!

Jerome Gambit: A Thoughtful Post

It is worth taking a look at a thoughful post by Tryfon Gavriel (FIDE Candidate Master; Kingscrusher) at Quora, addressing the question "What are some of the most outlandish chess gambits?" 

He can be clear and accurate

Well, the most outrageous and even documented as mostly losing is the Jerome Gambit.

He also has some kind words for the author of this blog, and includes

In fact, I will try and take up the challenge and produce some wins with this gambit on my bullet chess and Email him if I do manage to win!

Jerome Gambit: What Your Chess Opening Says About You

 

As a chess-playing retired therapist, I couldn't resist following the link to "What your chess opening says about you", in particular a post by Xyzlev on the online Starscape wiki.

Here are a couple of clearly tongue-in-cheek examples

Bishops opening-  You're an 800 elo noob who hasn't learnt any opening, and wants to test if your oppoent will fall for the scholar's mate 

Italian game- You're 900+ elo and you have finally stopped trying to scholar's mate people, and you're slightly more willing to study opening theory than london system players. 

So - what is to be said about the Jerome Gambit? 

Jerome gambit- Why, just why

'Nuff said.😊

 

Jerome Gambit: Highest Scoring?

Wandering through this blog the other day, I re-visited the post "Jerome Pawns to the Rescue", where I had looked at 5th move alternatives (to 5.Nxe5+) in the Jerome Gambit.

I found this interesting note

To keep statistics in perspective, it must be noted that the highest scoring move is 5.a4, with 100% in 4 games.

Not surprisingly, given the relative non-aggression of the move, things have changed. A visit to lichess.org shows 32 games with 5.a4, with White scoring 42%.

The following 3-minute game is a caution.

monif_thabata - jagr135

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.a4 

 Check out "Jerome Gambit: Can He Do That? (Part 2)"

5...d6 6.c3 Bg4 

7.Qb3+ 

Both Black and White overlook that 7.b4 here would win a piece (although Black would still be a little better).

7...Kf8 8.O-O Bxf3 9.gxf3 Qg5+ 

Black's Queen is more effective than White's and has a larger supporting staff.

10.Kh1 Bb6 11.Qc2 Nge7 12.b4 Ng6 13.a5 

The Black Bishop is trapped, but it is too late.

Or is it?

13...Nf4 14.Rg1 Qh4 

The Queen needed to retreat with 14...Qh5 - it makes a difference. Then 15.Qd1 Nd3 16.Rg2 Nxf2+ 17.Rxf2 Bxf2 would win for Black.

Now White has a way out: 15.axb6 Qxf2 16.Qd1 Nd3 17.bxc7 Ne7 18.Qf1 and 18...Qxf1 19.Rxf1 Rxc7 is equal.

Instead, Black wraps things up.

15.Rg4 Qxf2 16.axb6 Qxf3+ 17.Kg1 Nh3 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Dodgy Gambit Opening

If you visit National Master Deniz Tasdelen's very enjoyable chessdoctrine.com site, in particular the information on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), you will see an intelligent look at this opening - and many others - starting with the down-to-earth assessment  

The Jerome Gambit is a dodgy gambit opening

That's a fair assessment.

The Jerome Gambit is also a fun opening for club players to use to surprise their opponents and open up tactical opportunities.

Checking The Database, I find my own handle, perrypawnpusher, in 666 games, scoring 81%.

That pales in comparison to the successes of Bill Wall, who shows up in 1,149 games and scores 94%.

Of course, Your mileage may vary, but I have provided 4,129 posts on this blog, to help you toward success.

Jerome Gambit: I Tried

The following game features a move in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) - a passive sacrifice of a Knight - that I have been railing against on this blog for over a dozen years.

"Death of a Variation" was not the first time, but it was a not-so-subtle hint. That was followed by "Public Service Announcement" and "A Mention is Not an Endorsement". You might think that "Re-Inventing the Flat Tire" might do it. 

Even coming up with a specific name for the variation - "Jerome Gambit: The Face Palm Variation" didn't stamp it out.

I even had to take on something similar in "The Jaw Drop Variation".

Jerome Gambit players go their own way...

And, despite my fussing, White won the game!

username12374 - vesela_flamburari

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Ng5+ 

People get excited. I know. Let's get on with the attack!

People get creative. For sure. Watch me get my piece back!

According to The Database, this move has been played 711 times, with White scoring a meager 26%. (Versus 57% for 5.Nxe5+)

5...Kg6 

vesela_flamburari is not taken in by the offer of a piece.

In the games of The Database, 70% of the time Black played 5...Qxg5 (498 games, White scores 19%) but in only 244 games did White then reply 6.d4, with the thematic attack on both the Queen and the Bishop yielding him 24%. (Alas, 6...Qxg2 is a very strong response: in 186 games White scored only 14%.)

The numbers appear a bit murky, but the conclusion is pretty clear for White: don't offer the Knight with 5.Ng5, choose 5.Nxd5+.

6.d4 Bxd4 7.h4 

Black's King might feel nervous, but his forces are still better.

7...Qf6

How unfortunate! In so many variations in the defense against the Jerome Gambit, Black's Queen does good work at f6.

Not in this one. The game flips.

8.h5+ Kh6 9.Nf7 checkmate

Double (and discovered) check wins the day!

BSJG: No Shelter

The following game sees Black defending well in his Blackburne Shilling Gambit, until suddenly the Kingside opens up and his King can find no shelter.

I blame Jerome.

klfoerster - zakiabdelli

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. White can now play 4.Nxe4 or 4.d3 or 4.O-O, but he also has a Jerome response. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3 

This is one of White's two main responses, the other being the Jerome-ish immediate Qh5+.

6...Nc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Nxf8 Rxf8 

Up to this point klfoerster and zakiabdelli have been playing like they were both familiar with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit - indeed, according to The Database, klfoerster played a couple of games with that opening in 2022. I have not found any earlier efforts by zakiabdelli. (I guess players rated 2200 and 2100 look like they know what they are doing.)

Here, though, the routine 10...Kxf8 or the interesting 10...Qe7 might have changed things from an edge for Black to an edge for White.

11.O-O d6

Black keeps an eye on the enemy e-pawn and hopes to imede its advance. He might have done a little better with 11...Ne7. 

12.d4 Ng4 

So far we have seen moves that Stockfish 15.1 might improve upon, slightly.

This move allows too much pressure on f6. Better would have been 12...Ne7. 

13.Qh5+ Rf7 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.f3 

Things have gotten messy for Black. Not only is his Knight in danger, his Queen blocks his Bishop which hems in his Rook - a problem for defense that we have seen a number of times before.

15...Nxh2 16.Qxh2 Rg7 17.Qh5+ 

On revient toujours a sa premier amour.

17...Rg6 18.f4 Kf8 19.f5 Rg8 20.Bh6+ Ke7 21.f6+ Ke6 22.Qd5 checkmate